The present invention relates to a shutter that is opened or closed for switching between an information display state and a display shutout state of, e.g., a liquid crystal panel constituting an information display unit in a small-sized electronic apparatus, as well as to opening/closing control of the shutter.
Opening/closing shutter units for use in opening/closing information display parts of small-sized electronic apparatuses, e.g., wristwatches, to alternate between an information display state and a display shutout state have hitherto been known, although most conventional opening/closing shutter units employed mechanical mechanisms.
In the case of the opening/closing shutter units of the above conventional small-sized electronic apparatuses, however, complicated link mechanisms were driven by motors serving as drive sources, whereas the opening/closing operations of the opening/closing shutter were carried out by complicated switch mechanisms acting as the operative members for the opening/closing control. Furthermore, in a case where the opening/closing shutter unit was applied to the wristwatch for wearing around the wrist, it was fairly inconvenient and due to its larger thickness and weight arising from the fact that the opening/closing shutter unit is disposed above the body portion of the wristwatch. Also, the mechanical mechanisms must typically be built from a multiplicity of precisely machined or metal plated components by skilled operators, resulting in increased costs and frequent failures because of the complicated nature of the mechanisms. This prevented the wristwatches whose information display parts used the opening/closing shutter units from becoming widely used.
The present invention was conceived in view of the above problems. It is therefore the object thereof to provide a small-sized electronic apparatus which is free from use of, e.g., a complicated mechanical structure and a complicated switch mechanism acting as an operative member for opening/closing control thereof, and which even when worn around the wrist for use, is easy to wear since it has a thickness and weight no different from the conventional watch, and which can be easily manufactured at lower costs with reduced possibility of failure.
In order to achieve the above object, a small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention having information generating means, display drive means for issuing a signal for display and drive on the basis of a signal from the information generating means, and a display unit for providing an information display on the basis of an output signal from the display drive means, comprises switch means for detecting a switch input, and display shutout control means for providing switching control of the display unit between an information display state and a display shutout state on the basis of an output signal from the switch means. This makes it possible to provide switching control of the information display part between the information display state and the display shutout state.
In the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, display information of the display unit may be subjected to a display shutout by liquid crystal shutter means which uses liquid crystal and is provided in the display unit. In the case of using the liquid crystal shutter means in particular, it would be possible to easily and at lower costs manufacture a watch which is easy to wear even when worn around the wrist since it has thickness and weight no different from a conventional watch, without using a complicated and mechanical structure. Failures can also be reduced.
In the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the switch means can be sensor switch means for detecting a sensor switch input. In the case of using the sensor switch as the switch means, switching would be feasible by various sensing functions.
In the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, arrangement can be such that the display shutout control means provides the display unit with a switching control from the display shutout state to the information display state or with a switching control from the information display state to the display shutout state, on the basis of an output signal from the switch means.
The small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention may further comprise timer control means for performing a timer counting action on the basis of an output signal from the switch means such that the display shutout control means can provide t he display unit with a switching control from the information display state to the display shutout state or a switching control from the display shutout state to the information display state on the basis of a time-out signal from the timer control means. This allows free setting of time control during which the display unit is put in the information display state or in the display shutout state, to achieve opening/closing or closing/opening actions.
In the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, a reflection type deflecting plate can preferably be used as the liquid crystal shutter means. The display part of the display unit can provide a shutter unit presenting a metallic luster in response to the incidence from the external light source in the display shutout state.
In the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, having information generating means, display drive means for issuing a signal for display and drive on the basis of a signal from the information generating means, and a display unit for providing information display on the basis of an output signal from the display drive means, the display unit may be provided with a switch member, a shutter unit in the form of a shutter having a switch operation opening indicative of an opening of the switch member, and shutter control means for providing opening/closing control of the shutter unit, whereby a shutter of the switch operation opening of the shutter unit is opened under control of the shutter control means.
In the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, it is preferred that the shutter of the shutter unit be a liquid crystal shutter using liquid crystal.
Also, the small-sized electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention may employ a reflection type deflecting plate as the liquid crystal shutter.
In this manner, it has become possible to easily manufacture the switch member and the shutter unit in the form of a shutter having a switch operative opening indicative of an opening of the switch member, as well as to make an arbitrary tone of backup light by imparting an arbitrary color to the reflection plate in the display state. In addition, provision at a low cost has become feasible.